The number of hydrogen fillings to fuel cell vehicles reached a total of 3,000 vehicles as a first for a domestic single station on March 23 at the “JHFC Ariake Hydrogen Station” (*1), which is operated jointly with Iwatani Corporation (Head office: Osaka and Tokyo, President: Akiji MAKINO) and Showa Shell Sekiyu K.K. (Head Office: Tokyo, Chairman: Shigeya Kato).

Iwatani Corporation and Showa Shell Sekiyu K.K. jointly constructed this station, as the first capable of filling both liquid and compressed hydrogen for the JHFC Project (*2) of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and it began operation in May 2003. A variety of demonstrative tests were conducted for the following purposes during these 6 years: specifically to fill Tokyo Metropolitan fuel cell buses with hydrogen as well as those of auto manufacturers, to acquire and evaluate the data for energy efficiency and reducing the environmental load and acquire the data to establish regulations, standards and others regarding the safety of hydrogen stations.

The total number of hydrogen fillings has reached 3000 vehicles since this station was opened, representing a hydrogen filling volume of 5,987 kg. The total travel distance of the fuel cell vehicles and hydrogen-fueled cars that were serviced at this station is equivalent to about 15 round-the-world trips.

The fact that the total number of fillings reached 3,000 without any accident or casualty in demonstrative operation for nearly 6 years is very significant in the process toward the practical application of hydrogen stations. We will strive to achieve further operational results in future, while continuing to focus on safety, and contribute to the wider use of hydrogen stations.

(1) Summary of the Ariake Hydrogen Station

Construction site:

3-1-3 Ariake, Koto -ku, Tokyo

Station type:

Off-site type station, supplied by liquid hydrogen tankers

Storage of liquid hydrogen:

10,000L

Hydrogen purity:

99.99% or more (CO harmful to fuel cells: 1ppm or less)

Filling capacity:

Compressed hydrogen: 25/35MPa, Filling time: 10min/vehicle or less

Liquid hydrogen: 140L/vehicle, filling time: 10min/vehicle or less

Characteristics :

The first liquid hydrogen station in Japan

Capable of filling both compressed and liquid hydrogen vehicles

Short system start-up time

(2) JHFC (Japan Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Demonstration Project)

The JHFC project (Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Demonstration Project) consists of “Performance research into fuel cell vehicles (Responsible organization: Japan Automobile Research Institute)” and “Performance research into hydrogen refueling stations for fuel cell vehicles (Responsible organization: Engineering Advancement Association of Japan),” undertaken under the Fellowship grant for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell System Performance Research and Others”; conducted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. The project is a large-scale demonstrative test to operate a hydrogen station based on various means of hydrogen generation. Following the 1st term of the JHFC project implementation period (from FY2002 to FY2005), the current term is in operation for 5 years from FY2006 to FY2010.